SALABHASANA & BENEFITS

 

S A L A B H A S A N A

(Locust Pose)

When this pose is demonstrated it resembles a locust. Hence the name salabha or locust.

Technique:

Lie on the ground, face downwards.Keep the arms by the sides. The palma should be turned up. You can place the hands underneath the belly – this is another way. Inhale slightly. Stiffen the whole body and raise the legs in the air one cubit high. Raise the head as in bhujangasana. Keep the thighs, legs and toes together. Turn up the soles of the feet. Lift up the legs, thighs and lower portion of the abdomen. Keep up this pose from 5 to 30 seconds. Bring the legs down slowly. Retain the breath till you finish the asana and then exhale slowly.

YOU CAN REPEAT THE PROCESS 6 to 7 TIMES

Benefits:

This asana bends the spine backwards. Like mayurasana, it increases the intra-abdominal pressure. It supplements bhujangasana develops the upper hald of the body, while salabhasana develops the lower half of the abdomen, back, thighs and legs. It brings down the accumulated matter to the ascending colon, from ascending colon to transverse colon or large intestines, from transverse colon to descending colon and from there to the rectum. (Read any book on elementary physiology. It will help you a lot.)

This asana gives good exercise for the abdomen. It relieves constipation, tones the abdominal viscera – liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc. – and removes several diseases of the stomach and bowels. It cures sluggishness of liver and hunchback. The lumbo-sacral bones are toned up and lumbago is removed. All forms of myalgia of the lumbar region (hips) are removed. The digestive fire is increased and dyspepsia is removed. You will have very good appetite.